Readings for Monday of the Seventh Week in Ordinary Time[1][2]
Readings from the Jerusalem Bible
Commentary:
Reading 1 James 3:13-18
St. James takes up the topic of “True Wisdom” in the same way he had treated the role of teacher in the previous section. The qualities of Christian Wisdom are cited (see also Gal 5:22-23)and contrasted with secular wisdom (see also 2 Cor 12:20)
Responsorial Psalm Psalm 19:8, 9, 10, 15
R. The precepts of the Lord give joy to the heart.
Psalm 19 is a song of praise that provides a litany that celebrates the virtue of adherence to the Law of God. Through acceptance of the Law, God provides salvation
Gospel Mark 9:14-29
St. Mark’s Gospel focuses on the inability of the disciples to cast out an unclean spirit that was afflicting a boy. The Lord attributes this inability to their lack of faith in God and prayer for His help (“This kind can only come out through prayer.”)
Reflection:
We reflect today on the contrast between good and evil, the world of the flesh and the world of the spirit. We have both natures and there is a constant battle raging silently within us. It is like the constant struggle of our immune system with the bacteria and viruses in our environment. We do not see or hear that struggle as the body’s defenses war against those diseases that try to infect us, but that war rages.
It turns out that the analogy of the war between the immune system and disease is a good one to use as we look at the battle between flesh and spirit. When the body’s immune system is healthy it is generally a result of a few things. First, our parents passed on antibodies to us when we were born. These natural defenses protected us from many of the common illnesses as we grew up. To help the body’s natural defenses, we were inoculated against some of the most dangerous infections, polio, measles, small pox, etc.. We also needed boosters on some of these so we would stay protected. In addition to all of this immunity, we check in with physicians regularly to make sure something more sinister has not managed to get past our immune system and take root. In addition to checking for these maladies, the physician may also recommend general instructions about life style and diet to bolster our natural immunity and make us feel better.
In spite of all this there are times when we get sick and need strong medicine to help us control the effects of the illness. We may even need antibiotics to help kill the organisms invading the body. Between the body’s immune system, the vaccines that help it against specific diseases, and physicians who keep an eye on things and prescribe stronger medicine when we do get sick, most of us stand a pretty good chance of living long and healthy lives.
Let’s look at that battle now as one between sin and death vs. righteousness and life. The natural immunity given by our parents is the basic instruction we receive about right and wrong, good and bad as we grow up. This knowledge, obtained and reinforced through discipline and example, protects us from many basic ills. They are assisted and we are inoculated with our first “Shots” through the sacraments of Baptism (that’s a big one). Later as we grow we are given a booster (Confirmation) and along the way periodic checkups (Reconciliation). As any parent knows, proper diet and exercise are necessary so we receive the Eucharist and are taught to pray and other disciplines of the faith are encouraged.
Just as the body fights disease, the spirit, strengthened by faith and sacrament fights against the evil the world sends. Ironically, like disease, these attacks generally come through the mouth, eyes and ears. But, with God’s help, most are defeated. Still as we go through life we are susceptible to these attacks and must not neglect diet exercise and good medicine (Sacred Scripture, prayer, and sacramental grace) to keep us healthy. Our semi-annual checkups (call them physicals (actually spirituals)) during Lent and Advent help us make sure nothing sinister and undetected has managed to get started.
This is obviously rich ground to explore but for today it is enough that we recognize this silent battle that rages within us and are careful to maintain the lifestyle that keeps us safe. If that is neglected in the physical part of our analogy the result is the body dies. In a spiritual sense, if we die it is eternal, a death we do not even wish to contemplate.
Pax
[1] After Links to Readings Expire
[2] The picture used is “Jesus Casts our Unclean Spirit” by Gustave Doré, 1865
Readings from the Jerusalem Bible
Commentary:
Reading 1 James 3:13-18
St. James takes up the topic of “True Wisdom” in the same way he had treated the role of teacher in the previous section. The qualities of Christian Wisdom are cited (see also Gal 5:22-23)and contrasted with secular wisdom (see also 2 Cor 12:20)
Responsorial Psalm Psalm 19:8, 9, 10, 15
R. The precepts of the Lord give joy to the heart.
Psalm 19 is a song of praise that provides a litany that celebrates the virtue of adherence to the Law of God. Through acceptance of the Law, God provides salvation
Gospel Mark 9:14-29
St. Mark’s Gospel focuses on the inability of the disciples to cast out an unclean spirit that was afflicting a boy. The Lord attributes this inability to their lack of faith in God and prayer for His help (“This kind can only come out through prayer.”)
Reflection:
We reflect today on the contrast between good and evil, the world of the flesh and the world of the spirit. We have both natures and there is a constant battle raging silently within us. It is like the constant struggle of our immune system with the bacteria and viruses in our environment. We do not see or hear that struggle as the body’s defenses war against those diseases that try to infect us, but that war rages.
It turns out that the analogy of the war between the immune system and disease is a good one to use as we look at the battle between flesh and spirit. When the body’s immune system is healthy it is generally a result of a few things. First, our parents passed on antibodies to us when we were born. These natural defenses protected us from many of the common illnesses as we grew up. To help the body’s natural defenses, we were inoculated against some of the most dangerous infections, polio, measles, small pox, etc.. We also needed boosters on some of these so we would stay protected. In addition to all of this immunity, we check in with physicians regularly to make sure something more sinister has not managed to get past our immune system and take root. In addition to checking for these maladies, the physician may also recommend general instructions about life style and diet to bolster our natural immunity and make us feel better.
In spite of all this there are times when we get sick and need strong medicine to help us control the effects of the illness. We may even need antibiotics to help kill the organisms invading the body. Between the body’s immune system, the vaccines that help it against specific diseases, and physicians who keep an eye on things and prescribe stronger medicine when we do get sick, most of us stand a pretty good chance of living long and healthy lives.
Let’s look at that battle now as one between sin and death vs. righteousness and life. The natural immunity given by our parents is the basic instruction we receive about right and wrong, good and bad as we grow up. This knowledge, obtained and reinforced through discipline and example, protects us from many basic ills. They are assisted and we are inoculated with our first “Shots” through the sacraments of Baptism (that’s a big one). Later as we grow we are given a booster (Confirmation) and along the way periodic checkups (Reconciliation). As any parent knows, proper diet and exercise are necessary so we receive the Eucharist and are taught to pray and other disciplines of the faith are encouraged.
Just as the body fights disease, the spirit, strengthened by faith and sacrament fights against the evil the world sends. Ironically, like disease, these attacks generally come through the mouth, eyes and ears. But, with God’s help, most are defeated. Still as we go through life we are susceptible to these attacks and must not neglect diet exercise and good medicine (Sacred Scripture, prayer, and sacramental grace) to keep us healthy. Our semi-annual checkups (call them physicals (actually spirituals)) during Lent and Advent help us make sure nothing sinister and undetected has managed to get started.
This is obviously rich ground to explore but for today it is enough that we recognize this silent battle that rages within us and are careful to maintain the lifestyle that keeps us safe. If that is neglected in the physical part of our analogy the result is the body dies. In a spiritual sense, if we die it is eternal, a death we do not even wish to contemplate.
Pax
[1] After Links to Readings Expire
[2] The picture used is “Jesus Casts our Unclean Spirit” by Gustave Doré, 1865
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